Jan 5, 2020 - Santorini

When the boat arrived in Santorini harbour, I was overwhelmed by the reception of both humans and animals! The donkeys descended thick and fast down some of the steepest terrain I have ever seen, rushing to meet the ferry and haul the load of tourists up the steep steps to the town perched on the rocks above. Santorini is a submerged volcano that erupted eons ago, leaving a caldera behind. Its steep rock faces are covered with whitewashed villas clinging to the rock face like vines on a brick wall. There is a tradition in Santorini of...

Dec 4, 2019 - Naxos

Naxos is a bigger island than Paros and much larger than Antiparos. I found a lovely little room in a four-plex which even has a communal fridge and a tiny balcony overlooking a rather overgrown garden. Every morning I would wander into the village to buy fresh bread and watermelon for my breakfast -- heaven! I've explored the island on foot, following the rutted roads and pathways that criss-cross the island. Olive groves with lounging goats and sheep are everywhere and the air has a rich, dusty smell to it. I am so totally relaxed after...

Nov 18, 2019 - Leros

Ciao ragazzi , vi presento la mia isola : Leros.Si trova in Dodecaneso.Venite a trovarmi.La mia mamma lavora in un albergo con i turisti.Quando ero piccola andavo a pescare in gommone con il mio papa'.Ora vado a nuotare.Il mare qui e' bellissimo! Ciao e votate il mio post. Antonella

Nov 18, 2019 - It's a wrap!

Back on dry land Lois writing We are adding some photos here that we weren't able to post last week; now that we're home, it's a lot easier to access our files. Our Road Scholar tour ended on Friday morning November 15, when we had our last breakfast on the boat, and then were transported by bus to the Athens airport. Most of the group was flying out that day, and many of them had plans to stay overnight somewhere in the States after they landed. There are no direct flights to the US from Athens, so everyone would be changing planes in...

Nov 15, 2019 - Last day on board the ship

John writing now Today the weather was perfect, 60 – 70 degrees with bright sunshine and no wind. We boarded our bus at 8:30 AM for the 30 minute drive to Epidavros to see a large ancient theater, and the first place where organized “health care” took place. Basically you came here, slept in a dorm, and waited for the gods to tell you in a dream how to be cured. There were no statistics on the cure rate. The restored theater seated 15,000 people, and the acoustics are still incredible. In the rest of the complex, all that is left are...

Nov 13, 2019 - Nafplion

Lois writing This morning we woke up in Nafplion (you don’t really pronounce the F), where we had docked last night at 10 PM. We were still up and about at that time, and the scene was one out of a storybook, with an illuminated castle up on a big hill overlooking the town. We were really looking forward to exploring the castle, but today it is raining on and off, so that adventure has been postponed until tomorrow. We drove by bus to the tomb of Agamemnon, which is a huge beehive shaped structure built underneath a hillside. All along the...

Nov 12, 2019 - Monemvasia

Lois writing These next few entries into the blog will have to be entered later than we would prefer. As I mentioned, the internet on the boat is spotty, and we were allotted a limited amount of data usage. By Tuesday, both John & I had gone over the limit and it would cost a bundle to add more. We have not been doing anything extreme like watching movies, but John attributes the problem to the photo work that he has been doing to transfer some pictures from our phones. That way they can be resized and then transferred into the My Trip...

Nov 11, 2019 - Pylos

Lois writing The boat traveled overnight from Sunday to Monday November 11 along the west coast of the Peloponnese, leaving an hour or so after dinner. They suggested that we take a seasickness pill beforehand - they supply them free on the boat, but I brought my own. The seas are definitely more active now that we are in the Ionian Sea, rather than in the shelter of the Gulf of Corinth. It wasn’t too bad – nothing went flying off shelves, and we fell asleep with bright moonlight shining in the window of our cabin. The boat docked just at 8...

Nov 10, 2019 - Olympia

Olympia Last night we pulled into port in Kyllini because it had good protection from southerly winds. The forecast for today had a good chance of rain, but by the time we finished breakfast and were loading the bus at 8 AM, the sky was starting to clear. We had an hour bus ride inland to Olympia, the site of the first Olympic Games over 2,800 years ago! I didn’t expect much but a field. I was surprised to learn it developed into quite a complex with an indoor arena, horse stables, numerous temples, altars to the gods, treasury buildings, a...

Nov 9, 2019 - First few days on board the Callisto

On board the Callisto – part 1 Lois writing On Friday morning November 8, we checked out of the hotel in Athens and were transported to the National Archeology Museum – the largest museum in Greece. Each time we go to a new site, our guide Athena gives us an hour or so to explore after she discusses the things she considers to be the highlights. She knows a lot, not only about Greek history and mythology, but also about plants, birds, architecture, and in fact, virtually anything we ask her about. She was actually a substitute guide – the...

Nov 7, 2019 - Group activities in Athens

Lois writing Our guide for this Road Scholar program is named Athina, and she is very knowledgeable, organized and funny. For example, she told us that when someone from Greece doesn't understand something from a different language or culture, they will say, "It's Chinese to me!" She has also warned us to be careful, since although she wants us to enjoy the sights of this area, she would prefer it if we do not get to visit the hospital or the jail. We had a huge plated dinner last night (Wed. Nov. 6), and once again, John & I were glad that...

Nov 6, 2019 - Our first look at Athens

John writing We arrived in Athens in the late afternoon on Tuesday November 5, and by the time we got a taxi into town, checked into the hotel and unpacked, it was dark and time for supper. Our room has a balcony, and from there we have a view of the Parthenon. We got advice from the people at the front desk of the hotel, and walked about 15 minutes to an area with a choice of restaurants. We chose a humble traditional restaurant and ordered some Greek dishes. I didn't care much for mine, but Lois liked it more than her meal, so we traded....